August 9, 2007
Fabulous Finds: "Soleful" PurposeTea Time
by Sarah Frances
The other day, my sister mused, "When I drink coffee, I can literally feel my cells deteriorating.” I sent her immediately on her way to Dr. Tea's Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium on the border between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood for a quick pot of detox.
As you enter this idyllic bamboo-shaded cove off Beverly Blvd., you are greeted by Dr. Tea, himself, a, shall we say, larger than life personality and specialist in the art of tea brewing and herbal alchemy. Energetic, to say the least, and highly knowledgeable, Dr. Tea, AKA Mark Ukra, will invite you to sample the day’s brew from what he claims to be his "superior 
Chinese tonic herbs and the finest tea menu in the country.” And, he does have a tea or herb for whatever ails you, whether it’s sleep and stress issues, a desire to lose weight or a lack of energy, to name a few.
The Tea Garden, itself, strikes a nice balance between zen and quite lively (with the good doctor, himself, providing the lively factor). Largely because of his magnetic personality, passion and knowledge, Dr. Tea has developed a serious following of supporters and customers, who see him as their own personal tea guru. He will recommend a pot of green, black, oolong, white, yellow, pu-erh, rooibos or mixed herbal tea, depending upon your particular tastes and needs. Take a seat either inside or out and 
order a bite from the M Café de Chaya menu (from the same family of restaurants that brought you Chaya Brasserie and Chaya Venice), now serving macrobiotic sensations at the Garden, or just snack on a handful of Goji berries available at the counter. Afterwards, browse through books on tea, meditation and healthy lifestyles before purchasing top-grade Chinese herbs from the herb shop on your way out.
Recently, the Tea Garden has also taken over the inspirational garden space that was once Elixir on Melrose and has opened up a mini-version of itself on the back patio of the Kabbalah Center on South Robertson. Workshops on meditation and special topics in tea brewing and herbs are held at Tea Garden throughout the month. Teas and herbs are also available for online purchase.
So, put down the coffee and head on over to this rejuvenating space in the center of town. Then, tea off and let your cells thrive!
Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium
9001 Bevelry Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048 // 310.205.0104
8612 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069 // 310.657.9300
Kabbalah Centre // 1062 S. Robertson,
Los Angeles, CA 90035 // 310-289-9019
www.teagarden.com
